Hair drying apparatus



12, 1935. F, AUGUSTUS 1,994,163

HAIR DRYING APPARAIUS Filed March 9, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Mar'ch12,l935. H A U 1,994,163

HAIR DRYING APPARATUS v Filed March 9, 1932' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I INgfNTOR.

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE namnnr irfirmrns Frederick H. Amt; m M- Application Burch D, 1332, Serial N0. 597,7

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a means of drying the hair on a person's head after the hair is washed or otherwise moistened, and relates more particularly to means of this type provided with a hood arranged to fit over the. head and through which a current of heated air is circulated in more or less intimate relation with the hair.

An object of'the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in which fresh heated air is caused to enter the hair at as many different points .over theentire head as possible, and at the same time permit a thorough circulation of the air through the hair and the ready discharge of the moisture laden air from the head.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in which the hood, while designed to closely embrace practically all portions of the head containing the hair, may nevertheless be readily fitted over or removed from the head without causing any discomfort to the subject or .disarrangement of the hair.

' V A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in which a single air current supplying and heating unit is arranged for supplying heated air under pressure to a number of separately-operated airapplying hoods.

understood, however, that variations in the show ing made by the said drawings and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional. view, partly in elevation, of a drying apparatus embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus with parts broken away to reduce the side of the figure.

Figure 3 is a sectional view,

partly in elevation,

of an air supplying and heating unit of some- ,what modified form. a Figure 4' is a .plan view of form of supply unit.

a further modified Figure 5 is a section" taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6 -6 of Figure l, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottom portion oi the hood showing the air passageways, turned into the back of the hood.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a suitable standard 5 having mounted thereon an air-current supplying and heating means '1 for furnishing heated air under pressure to each of a plurality of head enclosing hoods 8. The means 7 here shown includes a vertical motor 9 and pump 12, the latter being provided with circumferentially-spaced delivery conduits 13 and associated intake conduits 14 designed for telescopic or other suitable adjustable connection I with intake and'outlet extensions 1'7 and 16 of the different hoods. At the intake side 18 of the fan 1;; of the pump is preferably provided a heating element 21 so that as the motor is operated to rotate the fan, air from extensions 16 will be drawn through theheating element and pump and discharged by way of the conduits 13 into the different hood units.

Each hood unit as clearly shown in Figure 1, comprisesia casing 22 provided with an opening 23 at the bottom and having the lower portion 24 enlarged and formed to set over the entire part of the subjects head on which the hair is contained. The opening 23 is preferably of such size that the sides of the casing thereat will more or less loosely fit the face and neck of the subject, whereas the enlargedportion 24 .is designed to enclose the subjects head with a well defined space left between the hair and the inner sides of'the casing. It will thus be seen that when the heated air is forced down the interior of the hood it will be brought into direct contact with the top and sides of the hair and directed inwardly thereagainst, and means are provided whereby the air will be directed into the hair not only at the top and sides, but at the'lower edges thereof. lnfaccordancewith the foregoing the bottom 26 of portion 24, instead of converging directly inwardly to the opening 23, is first exl tended downwardly and inwardly and thence upwardly and inwardly to the opening. In this way such portion of the heated air which reaches the bottom of the hood without coming in contact with the hair, will be-deflected upwardly and caused to enter the hair along the lower edge and side portions thereabov'e. This upwardly defiected air as will be understood sets up on inter- 50 section thereof with the generally downwardcurrent of airedirectly from the inlet, a swirling turbulent action in the flow of air about the head of the user .to provide a most effective drying of the hair. The deflecting or guide portion 26 ex j 55 tends for the most part practically completely around the open end of the hood, except on the sides adjacent the ears where it is downwardly curved as at 43, allowing communication of the interior of the head with opening 28, and where a portion 44 provides a space for the ears, as shown in Figure 1 and then follows in general the'lower edge of the hair entirely around the head. As clearly shown in Figure l, the back portion of the hood projects further downwardlythan the front portion.

air through the hood, the rear side of the opening 23 is designed, when the hood is operatively disposed over the subjects head, to lie somewhat spaced from the back of the subject's neck, so

- that the air may thereat discharge downwardly and out of the interior of the hood. The air thus discharged is arranged to enter an air return passage 27 provided by the extension 16 through means of an opening 28 located immediately under the rear portion of the opening 23. As will be clear from reference to Figure 1, the forward end of the extension 16 is positioned to lie just below the rearward portion of the up turned edge 26 and in opposed spaced relation thereto substantially around the entire rear of the hood. In this manner the intake orifice 28 is formed to extend substantially completely around the rear bottom of the hood so that with I the hood operatively positioned over the head of a user, the air will be drawn from the hood at substantially the lowermost portion thereof. Thus the suction orifice is arranged to fit in intimate relation around the rear of the users neck at substantially the base of the hair line and as shown in Figure '1 from ear to car. It will now be understood that while the heated air is caused to enter directly into the hair at practically all parts of the head, at the same time there will be a general movement of the air through the head toward the back of the neck and into the opening 28, thus affording an extremely thorough and efficient penetration of the hair by air and insuring a quick and even drying of all the hair on the subjects head.

In order to facilitate the ready insertion of the head into the hood or the withdrawal of the head therefrom without a disarrangement of the .subjects hair, the front section 29 of the enlarged portion of the hood is formed as defined along the section line 45 of Figure 6 separate of the remainder of the hood and is hinged as at 31 so that it may be swung outwardly relative to the back section 32 of the hood to thereby afford an appreciable increase in the size of the opening 23. It will be understood that with the hood thus permitting the ready engagement with or disengagement from the subject's head without interfering with the air supplying and heating unit or the supporting means therefor, as many of the hoods as desired may be used at the same time, a valve 33 being associated with each of the hoods so that control and regulation of the air to the difierent hoods may be eifected independently.

Should it be desired to allow the moisture laden air toescape rather than be returned to the heating element and pump for reapplicationto the hood, the return passage 2'7 may be eliminated and air supplying and heating means take the simplified form illustrated in Figure 3. As here shown the apparatus is arranged to draw air to the heating element 34 and pump 36 through an inlet 37 which is in direct communication with atmosphere.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the unit is of a type using a pump 38 with the fan 39 arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis, the delivery connections 41, as well as the return connection 42, being extended horizontally (orwardly.

I claim:

1. In a hair drying apparatus, air supply means, a hood adapted to enclose and direct air about In order to permit the necessary circulation of the head of a subject and comprising a bell shaped Y 7 casing having an open end arranged to fit about the head, air inlet means disposed diametrically opposite to said opening and formed to direct air centrally through and along the sides of said casing, the edges of said casing about said opening being inturned upwardly to deflect air passing along said sides inwardly towards the center oi said casing in intersecting and clashing relation to the incoming air in a manner setting up a swirling turbulent action in the air flow about.

the head, the inlet means and the bell-shaped casing defining a passageway between the inlet means and the top of the subject's head, said passageway being unobstructed whereby that portion of air entering said unobstructed passageway is directed onto the top of the head, and another portion is directed by said inturned edges toward the top of the head from the lower edges of the hair so that said streams of air come together andcause turbulence of air in or about the hair.

2. In a hair drying apparatus, air supply means consisting of sources of relatively high and low pressures, a hood adapted to enclose and direct air about the head of a subject and comprising a bell-shaped casing having an open end arranged to fit about the head, air inlet means communicating with said high pressure air source disposed diametrically opposite to said open 7 end and formed to direct air centrally through and along the inner sides of said casing, the edges of said casing about said open end being inturned upwardly to deflect air passing along said sides inwardly towards the center of said casing,'the

inlet means and the bell shaped casing'defining a passageway between the inlet means and the top of the subjects head, said passageway being unobstructed whereby that portion of air entering said unobstructed passageway is directed onto the top of the head, and another portion is directed by said inturned edges toward the top of the head from the lower edges of the hair, so that said streams of air come together and cause turbulence of air in or about the hair, said casing being provided with an air passage connected to said low pressure source.

3. In a hair drying apparatus, air supply means consisting of sources of relatively high and low pressures, a hood adapted to enclose and direct air about the head of a'subject and comprising a bell-shaped casing having an open end arranged to fit about the head, air inlet means communicating with said high pressure air source disposed diametrically opposite to said opening and formed to direct air centrally through and along the sides of said casing, the edges of said casing about said opening being inturned upwardly to deflect air passing along said sides inwardly towards the center of said casing, the inlet means and the bell-shaped casing defining a passageway between the inlet means and the top of the subject's head, said passageway being unobstructed whereby that portion of air entereasing being provided with an air passage coning said unobstructed passageway is directed onto nected to said low pressure source, said air pasthe top of the heacband another portion is disage extending about the back lower edge of rected by said inturned edges toward the top said'hood substantially from ear to ear or the 5 o! the head from the lower edges of the hair subject.

so that said streams of air come together and V Fl-tEDERIGK B. AUGUSTUS. cause turbulence of air in or about the hair, said 

